Eagles to Glory - Division Points (DP)

When designing Eagles to Glory (EtG), one of the key goals was to represent unit fatigue and morale in a simple yet effective way. As divisions march, fight, and suffer casualties, their effectiveness declines. To track this wear and tear at the division level, we use Division Points (DP)—a streamlined system that Division Points represent the cumulative effects of fatigue, casualties, ammunition expenditure, command effort, and declining cohesion rather than any single factor.

Units are grouped into divisions, each with an assigned number of DP. Each division starts the game with a maximum of 42 DPs. This maximum is calculated on a unit being able to move or operate for up to 14 hours in a day. Each turn equals 20 minutes of time, 3 turns per hour, 42 operational turns in a day. Divisions may start with less DP to reflect the scenario, their condition, or other factors, such as DP ‘spent’ for units arriving later as reinforcements or as the scenario designer deems appropriate. Starting divisions with a lower DP total will speed up the game.

DP Reductions

Each division will have its own pool of DPs. These are removed as a result of these actions:

•         1 DP for division to be eligible to move during turn. “Issue Division Orders.”
•         1 DP for each cavalry unit declaring a charge (in addition to the division DP)
•         2 DP for each unit removed due to bombardment or combat.
•         1 DP from a Skirmish fire result of ‘E’. [Also disorders the unit.]
•         Leader Losses – DP loss varies.

One way to look at DP is like a fuel gauge. At 42 DP, the fuel tank is full for the division.

As the division moves and takes casualties, the gauge will move toward E and empty. Below 10 DP the division will be hard pressed to continue and is effectively out of action.

The pool of DP is used to track the overall strength, endurance and morale of the division. Because a division will expend a point for each turn of movement, you could wear a division out just with movement and never getting into combat.

With that, you will want to be intentional with the movement of your division. As you start your journey with EtG use the basic DP level of 42 for each Division on the table. As you get experience and start working up advanced scenarios, you will see how you can adjust DP levels to mirror late arrival times, worn units, poor quality units and exceptional units.

For starters, keep it simple and start with 42 per division.

The starting DP level of 42 was based upon 14 hours of activity a day with 3 x 20-minute turns per hour - so 14 x 3 = 42 DP. Then these can be adjusted by the scenario - for possible division size, arrival time if reinforcements, possible casualties sustained recently before the scenario, etc.

There is a myriad of factors that can contribute to this and that is down to the scenario designer or players if a pickup game. Higher DP, divisions will stay longer on the field. adjustments also need to fit into the scenario length. It is also possible to have more DP than 42 if desired/warranted (i.e. Davout's III Corp in 1806- 1809 could start with 48 DP).

The troop quality is more often associated with the morale grade but could be a contributing factor to a starting DP level.

In effect, divisions become less effective as fatigue increases, but it's subtle, gradual, and somewhat variable. The slow grinding down of 1 DP per turn to activate (issue order) and then any loss taking 2 DP (or 1 DP if from skirmish), more if an attached leader is lost, has an incremental effect on their ability to perform, with increasing negative modifiers to movement rolls as DP gets lower. Eventually the division will be likely to hold, disengage or rout - but still with a recovery possible. Remember you have to activate a division to try to get it to recover! So even in recovery attempt another DP must be spent.

The division morale/breaking point is built into the movement phase. Many non-EtG games having a morale roll typically have the division removed from the table (pick up the figures and put back in the box!) leaving an immediate gap where they had been. Our chosen method has divisions withdrawing - half, full, double move depending on their modified roll. This just feels more historical than units being plucked from the table and there is that chance of a last stand. Keep in mind the VPs for lost units through combat or routing, vs the possible denying VP by using Sauve Qui Peut.

The DP for a given game can vary by scenario, and it boils down to a lot of personal preferences. There are three ways to address this:

1. Have a table that big enough and scenario that reflect historic starting places with divisions starting with 42DP (in my initial Quatre Bras scenario the battlefield was 4 miles x 8 miles, and Cooke's division started the game 5 miles from QB, so at a standard movement rate of 1 mile an hour, it could take 5 hours to get to QB, now with road movement bonus, morale grade and distance from the enemy bonuses, it might only take 2½ hours or right at 8 turns (8 DP) to get to the battle.
2. Base the arrival DP on time the division arrives at the battle. So, for example Lannes arriving at Eckmuhl around 1300hrs which would be 3 hours after the start of the  scenario, so they would arrive with a starting DP 33 (or less because they started marching to support III corps early that morning, so start with 25 DP). 
3. Base the arrival DP based on the starting distance to the battlefield, so looking at #1 QB above, Cooke's division starting 5 miles away, I would start the division at 34 DP (guard unit - A morale class, plus road movement, plus being more than 2 miles away from the French, I would assign a rate of march equal to 2 miles an hour. 3 turns an hour, so I would deduct 8DP. 

If not defined in the scenario, and you're building a scenario/battle, what makes historical sense, what feels right. I've always believed that divisions did not march for 3-4 hours to arrive at the battlefield "Fresh", and that there was some wear to the division in making the march. You can also use reduced DP to reflect poorer quality troops, sever weather impact (snow or heavy rain), or other challenges to command of your army in a given battle.

You can also use the DP to drive other features of a battle. In my Pultusk 1806 scenario - to represent the fog on the battlefield and the Russian command structure at the battle, I had a couple of special rules: 

Pultusk Special Rules:

·        The Russians only have one DP stand for the entire army, with 42 points.
·        The Russians may only move 1 division per turn if given an order.
·        Visibility was limited to 12 inches due to the fog.

These special rules set the stage to allow Lannes 25,000 soldiers to defeat the 45,000 Russians under de Tolly and Bennigsen.
 

DP Tracking (stands or sheets)

There are two suggested methods for tracking Division Points (DP), either stands or sheets.

Stand Method

For each division deployed on the game table, one command ID stand is required. Each stand consists of two vertical rods and a collection of washers in two colors. The washers are the DPs for the division. One color represents 10s, the other 1s. Arrange up to 42 DPs on each Division Commander stand.

Remove 1 DP washer when the division has orders to move [Issuing Orders].

Remove 1 DP washer for every cavalry unit charging in a turn.

Remove 2 DP washers for each unit removed due to bombardment or combat.

Remove 1 DP washer when a Skirmish fire gets an E result.

Division Points are the total of the remaining washers [10s + 1s] on the DP Stand.
These stands are placed at the players’ edge of the table for reference.
A leader label is required for each DP stand so make duplicate leader labels for this method.

Sheet Method

List each division under your command in the left column. Starting from the left block out under each number. Pencil suggested as DP may return for cavalry not moving after a declared charge.

X out a block - each turn for when the division is moving.
X out 1 block - every cavalry unit charging in a turn.
X out 2 blocks - each unit removed due to bombard or combat.
X out 1 block – when a Skirmish fire gets an E result.

Division Points [DP] remaining are shown by the highest blank number for that division.

DP Conclusion

What we have with Eagles to Glory and the use of DP is an elegant method for tracking division effectiveness and the gradual wearing down of a unit over the course of a battle that will impact their morale, and movement.